The Economic Census

General

1. Can I combine all my data?

No. Separate data are required for each establishment or place of business operated during the previous year. To publish meaningful data for all geographic areas and economic acitivities, it is necessary to obtain information for each of your locations.

2. Can estimates be used to complete economic forms?

Yes. We accept estimates where the information requested is not readily available from actual business records.

3. Can estimates be used to complete the report form?

Yes. A good estimate is acceptable if book figures are not available for specific items. We do not expect businesses to incur additional expenses to develop information not available from their records.

4. For industry 31331 - We don't manufacture, we are converters of textiles. Why did I receive this form?

The definition of the textile finishing industry includes establishments of converters that buy textiles in the grey, have them finished on contract, and sell at wholesale

5. How do I request a time extension?

If you require additional time to complete the questionnaire call the 800 number listed in your package or go to ...and create your own on-line extension. Have your userid and pin ready.

6. How do I request additonal forms?

To request additional forms, call the 800 number listed in your package or click on "Request additional forms" for your location.

7. How do I update the name/address on the report?

Make any necessary changes directly on the report form. Physical location address changes should be made in the appropriate item on the report form.

8. How should I report Inventories?

Inventory values that are owned by this establishment should be reported regardless of where the inventories are stored. Inventories that are centrally stored for a multi-location company (operates at more than one physical location) should be assigned to each responsible establishment as if separately owned by them.

9. I sold my company (this plant or establishment) during the year. What should I report?

Please complete the report form for the portion of the year that you owned the establishment. The establishment may have been purchased singlely or as part of a parent company which was acquired by or merged with another company. Please make certain that the date of the change in ownership is recorded in Item 11A, OPERATIONAL STATUS.

10. My company did not operate during 2001. Am I still required to complete the form?

If your company discontinued operations before 2001, please return the report with an annotation in the remarks section that your company did not operate in any part of 2001.

11. My company maintains records on a fiscal year basis. Can I report for my fiscal year?

We prefer the data to be reported for the calendar year. If calendar year book figures are not available except at considerable cost, reasonable estimates will be acceptable. However, if your fiscal year ends between October 31 and February 28, fiscal year figures will be acceptable for all items except employment, plant hours, and payrolls. (Calendar year figures for these employment items should be available from your quarterly tax records.) Indicate in Item 12, CERTIFICATION, the exact dates covered. If there was a change in operator during the year or the establishment operated part of the year only, the data should apply to the period of operation by your company only. Report in Item 11B, Operational Status, any change and give the name and address of the previous operators or new operators.

12. My company's Employer Identification Number is different from that printed on the MA-1000. What should I do?

Enter in Item 1a the current Employer Identification Number if it is different from the one printed in the address label. This information is needed so that the Census Bureau can avoid sending duplicate report forms to the same location.

13. My electric costs are included in the monthly rent of my facility. How should I report my electric costs on Item 8d?

If electric costs are included in the monthly rent, obtain an estimate from the landlord of your facility as to the portion of the monthly payment that is used for electric costs

14. Our company only does a portion of the work on this product. It is sent to another of our domestic plants to be finished. I'm sure they are reporting this information to you, so should I really be reporting this information?

Yes, Please report this information in (Item 10c) Shipments to Other domestic Plants of Your Company for Further Assembly, Fabrication, or Manufacture.

15. The preprinted prior data on my MA-1000 is incorrect. Is it OK to change this information?

Yes, Please correct any incorrect information on the form and cite any differences in the remarks portion of the form.

16. What are Resales?

Resales are products purchased and resold without further manufacturing, processing or assembly and should be included in the Resales line of the Value of Products Shipped and Other Receipts (Item 9a)0 Cost of Resales should be included in (Item 7A) Cost of Materials, Parts, containers, etc. , used.

17. What are some examples of Parts that should be included in the Cost of Materials?

Bags Barrels Bearings Boxes Compressors Containers Crates Drums Engines Gears Hardware Motors Pails Pumps Tubes Wheels

18. What are some examples of of types of Supplies that should be included in the Cost of Materials?

Acetylene Bolts, Screws, Nuts Cleaning Supplies Dunnage First Aid/Safety Supplies Drills, tools, dies (Charged to Capital Accounts) Fixtures (Charged to Capital Accounts) Stationery/Office Supplies Water (If used to manufacture ice, consider a material) Welding Rods, Electrodes

19. What are some examples of types of materials to be included in the Cost of Materials?

Alcohols Cement Clay Cloth Coking Coal Copper Rods Cotton Crude Petroleum Glass Iron Castings Lumber Metal Stampings Paper Plywood Resins Rubber Steel Scrap Steel Sheet Sulfuric Acid Wire

20. What do I do if I don't see any of my establishments products listed in Item 10a?

Please enter a description for the product(s) your establishment produces in item 10a column (a) and enter the value in column (c) Report seperately for each major kind of product produced.

21. What do I include in Annual Payroll (Item 3a)?

Report the payroll which was included on IRS Form 941, employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Form Return and the payroll portion of the fee paid to a professional employer organization as part of co-employment or leased employment arrangement. INCLUDE: Deductions for an employee's Social Security contributions, withholding taxes, group insurance premiums, union dues, and savings bonds. Include in the gross earnings: commissions, dismissal pay, paid bonuses, employee contributions to pension plans such as a 401(k), vacation and sick leave pay, and the cash equivalent of compensation paid in kind. Also include salaries of officers of this establishment, if incorporated. EXCLUDE: Payments to proprietors or partners/ Payments to agricultural employees, fisherman, members of the Armed Focrces, and pensioners carried on your active payroll.

22. What do I include in Capital expenditures (Item 6)?

Capital Expenditures are a capital outlay that is chargeable to the fixed assets account and for which depreciation or amortization reserves are maintained. INCLUDE: *Capital Expenditures during the year that were actually made during the year, not the final value of equipment put in place or the buildings completed during the year. * Capital improvements and new additions in progress are considered assets, as well as capital expenditures. *Capital Expenditures during the year for new construction whether on contract or by your own work force. *Value of all machinery and equipment, buildings, and capitalized improvements and repairs whether purchased or produced by employees of your own company. *Value of any machinery and equipment or structure transferred to the use of the of this establishment b the parent company or one of its subsidiaries. For Buildings and Other Structures: *Elevators, blast furnaces, brick kilns, fractionation toweres, ship ways and similar structures, as well as the usual factory, office and warehouse -type of buildings. *Equipment that is an integral part of the building or structure, such as elevators, overhead cranes, ventilating shafts, and fractionation towers. Capitalized site improvements, such as roads, tracks, parking lots, fences, and utilities. Machinery and Equipment: *All production machinery (motors, lathes, punch presses, etc.,) and transportation equipment (automobiles, trucks, etc.,) *All office equipment and machines; computers; furniture and fixtures for offices, caterieas and dressing rooms; and warehouse equipment. *Replacements as well as additions to new capacity. EXCLUDE: Tools thare are expressed. Report these in Item 8a, Cost of Materials, Parts, Containers, Etc., Used For Buildings and Other Structures: The value of land on which the structures stand

23. What do I include in Employment(Item 2)?

Report the number of employees, both full and part time whose payroll was reported on IRS form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Form Return and employees whose payroll was paid to a professional employer organization as part of a co-employment or leased employment arrangement for all or part of the pay period, including the 12 of March , May, August and November. INCLUDE: All persons on paid sick leave, paid holidays, paid vacation during these pay periods. If this establishment is a corporation include the officers of the corporation. EXCLUDE: Members of the Armed Forces and pensioners carried on your active rolls. If this is an unincorporated concern , exclude proprietors or partners. The following types of food processing establishments should exclude agricultural workers or fishing crews from this report: * Sugar Mills which are part of sugar plantations. * Fruit or vegetable canning or freezing plants with farms associated with their operations. * Fish canning, freezing or packaging plants with fising operations associated with plant.

24. What does Item 3C ? Employer?s Cost for Fringe Benefits? include?

Legally required payments for all programs required under Federal and state legislation: Federal Old Age and Survivors? Insurance Unemployment compensation Workers? compensations State temporary disability payments for establishment located in Rhode Island, California, New York and New Jersey - Payments for voluntary programs not specifically required by Federal or state legislation whether initiated by the employer or established as a result of a collective bargaining contract. - INCLUDE employer?s cost for fringe benefits costs paid to a professional employer organization as part of a co-employment arrangement. - Employer payments to programs financed jointly by employer and employee contributions. Include employer payments for: Insurance premiums on hospital and medical plans Life insurance premiums Premiums on supplementary accident and sickness insurance In reporting payments for insurance, report net payments (i.e., gross payments less any offsetting dividends, refunds, or other reductions in premiums). - Report payments or allocations for: All pension plans regardless of method of administrations Supplemental unemployment compensation plans Welfare plans Stock purchase plans in which the employers? payment is not Subject to withholding tax Deferred profit sharing plans The items listed above are generally considered as deferred rather than current income to employees and are not subject to withholding of income tax. If the payments or allocations by the company are made to a fund, do not report payments to employees out of these funds. However, include payments made directly to retired employees or their survivors that do not pass through a fund.

25. What does the Cost of Purchased Electricity include (Item 8d)?

Report the total amount actually paid or payable for electric energy purchased during the year from other companies, or received from other establishments of your company. EXCLUDE: The value of electricity generated and used at this establishment.

26. What happens to my company's forms after the economic census?

After the reported data is reviewed, the forms are destroyed. The data are tabulated into statistical summaries which serve as input to private and public sectors in determination of gross domestic product, potential markets, expansion, etc.

27. What if sales are not kept by location?

Estimates by location are OK.

28. What is LIFO?

Last in; first out? method of inventory valuation. See Instruction Manual, Page 3

29. What is a CSAQ?

Computerized-Self-Administered Questionnaire. A CSAQ is an electronic rendering of a questionnaire that controls the flow of survey questions. It provides interactive help and performs various edit checks as you complete the questionnaire.

30. What is an Establishment?

An Establishment is defined as a single physical location where manufacturing is performed.

31. What is excluded from Cost of Materials?

Materials that are bought but not put into production or consumed (these should be reported in the Inventories Item. Depreciation charges against the plant and equipment (rent and rental allowances, interest payments, royalties and patent fees). Machinery and equipment chargeable to fixed asset accounts (these should be reported in the Capital Expenditures Item). Materials, supplies, machinery and equipment used in the construction of new structures or additions to the plant that are charegeable to the fixed assets account (these should be reported in the Capital Expenditures Item). Overhead costs (advertising, telephone, insurance, engineering and marketing charges) UNLESS charges for such services are included in the price of the materials.

32. What is included in Cost of Materials?

Report the delivered cost of materials. That is, the amount paid or payable after discounts, including freight and other direct charges incurred by the establishment in aquiring the materials. If the establishment produces items subsequently consumed in further production, ONLY report the cost of original materials consumed. INCLUDE: Materials consumed from inventories and materials shipped to this establishment from other establishments of the same company.

33. What is included in or excluded from sales?

Include: Cash sales Credit sales Service receipts

34. What should I include in Plant Hours Worked by Production workers?

INCLUDE: All hours worked or paid for, except hours paid for vacations, holidays or sick leave. If an employee elects to work during the vacation period, report only actual hours worked by the employee. Overtime should be reported as actual hours worked and not as straight time equivalent hours. Report hours worked by co-employees or leased employees as part of a co-employment arrangement with a professional employers organizations.

35. What should I report for the Value of Products Shipped and Other Receipts?

In general, you should report the value of assigned products shipped net selling value (Factory on Board) after discounts and allowances. INCLUDE: Value of products made elsewhere on a contact basis from materials supplied by this establishment. Shipments to other establishments (interplant transfers) of the company for further manufacturing, processing or assembly. If products are leased (rather than sold), report as the value of shipments the equivalent market value of the goods. EXCLUDE: Freight charges and excise taxes. Resales or sales of products bought and resold without further manufacturing. Rental receipts for leases outstanding.

36. What should I report in Cost of Fuels Consumed for Heat and Power? (Item 8c)

Report the total amount of actually paid or payable during the year for all fuels consumed for heat, power, or the generation of electricity. INCLUDE: Anthracite and bituminous coal, coke, natural and manufactred gas, fuel oil, liquified petroleum gas, gasoline, and all other fuels including purchased steam. For selected industries , such as Carbon Black, Blast Furnaces, and Coke Ovens, some of the above fuel types may be used as raw materials as well as being consumed as fuels. In such cases, the cost of these fuel types used as raw materials should be reported in item 8a. Be sure to include fuel used to power onsite trucks, fork lifts, or or other motor vehicles associated with the establishment in Item 8c.

37. What type of review process did the economic census forms undergo?

Many trade associations, individual companies, and other governmental agencies review the proposed forms. OMB reviews and approves the economic forms. Committees of the Business Advisory Council on Federal reports review the forms to ensure that the information is both necessary and available from company records.

38. When I received my inventory list with my Census Forms I noticed that a plant or establishment was not included in the inventory. Should this plant or establishment be included in the Census?

Yes, if the plant was in operation in 2002 it should be included in the Economic Census. Call the 800 number included with your forms or use the Email address that your received with the forms and provide the establishment name and address information to the Census Bureau so that a new form can be mailed to you.

39. When is the next economic census conducted?

2002.

40. When will reports be published based on data collected in the 2002 Economic Census?

Publication will begin in early 2005. the most widely used numbers are available free through the Census Bureau's web site http://www.census.gov

The results can also be ordered in printed reports or CD-ROM from:
Customer Services
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233
Phone: 301.457.4100

41. Where can I get information about Census publications?

Visit for information about Census publications.

42. Where should I include the cost of contract work?

If any contract work was done by others on materials furnished by your establishment, reporthe totoal payments made during the year for such work, including freight in and out in Item 8e. EXCLUDE: The cost of materials worked on, which should be reported in 8a.

43. Why are certain questions included on the 2002 Economic Census forms?

Every question on the forms must meet three critical criteria:

The information must be available from records normally maintained by firms in the industry (or can be estimated readily).
The data requested must be important.
The data must not be available from other sources.

Trade and professional associations representing most of the industries included in the economic census were consulted and asked to coment on the forms. Only questions that met all three criteria were included (for example, employment, payroll, and sales/receipts).

44. Why is my company included in the 2002 Economic Census?

A company is chosen based on type of business and size. Large firms are required to report data, as well as a small, statistically designed sample of smaller companies.

45. Why is there a certification question on the forms?

this item certifies that the form has been completed accurately and according to instructions.

The company contact name and telephone number provides us with a contact if any questions regarding the reported data arise.

Electronic Reporting

46. Are any reports generated from the data collected in the Annual Survey of Manufactures?

Yes. Statistics for Industry Groups and Industries reports provide industry statistics for the U.S. about 12 months after each year. Data include industry shipments, value added, inventories, materials, employment, hours and payroll. Value of Product S

47. Can I import data into the CSAQ software?

Yes. Importing data into the software must be done according to the importing format. Detailed instructions on importing data is available in the software's help system.

48. Does the electronic software cost anything?

No. The software is provided to you at no charge.

49. What are my electronic reporting options for submitting data to the U.S. Census Bureau?

You may submit your data using the CSAQ via the Internet or diskette or you may transmit via modem.

Legal Requirements

50. Can my company be exempt from filing the census forms?

Because of the mandatory reporting requirement, the Census Bureau cannot excuse your company from filing. For more information on mandatory reporting, see the legal requirements page.

51. Is my data confidential?

Title 13 of the United States Code provides complete protection for all reported information. Census forms, including copies retained by respondents, are immune from legal action. Also, Federal law specifically exempts the reports from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

52. Where can I view Title 13, United States Code?

Visit to view the Code that authorizes the Census Bureau to collect data from companies and protects that data.

53. Who sees my completed report forms?

Individual reports are seen only by sworn Census Bureau employees and only for the purpose of developing statistical totals and summaries. Census publications provide no information about an individual firm's operations.

Reporting Problem/Non-Data Related

54. Are copies of forms acceptable for filing?

Yes. Please be sure that all data, including the label information, are legible.

55. Can anyone from the Census Bureau assist my company with reporting data?

Since approximately 5 million companies are mailed forms, we cannot send someone to personally help every business. However, business are not expected to incur extra expenses to develop information not available from records. If book figures are not available, ESTIMATES are acceptable.

If the instructions provided with the forms, or the information on this web site do not answer your concerns, a Census Bureau analyst can call you. Please go to the contact us page and call or email us.

56. I have forms for old and new EINs. What should I do?

The form showing the old EIN should have the new one entered, and an explanation regarding the change in the remarks section. Report data for both EINs on the form with the correct EIN; staple the forms together and return to the Census Bureau.

57. My business does not have an address (as such). What should I report?

Describe the physical location referencing distances from cities, major highways, shopping centers, etc. (i.e., 1/2 mile south of Boise on Route 728).

58. What should I report if my company EIN has changed?

Please enter the new EIN on the form and explain in the Remarks section when the change occurred. Complete the form for the full year.

59. Where is the EIN located on my form?

The EIN can be found in the second line of the address label immediately following the letters "EI".

Internet Specific

60. All the data I entered into the CSAQ is now gone. What happened?

If you were completing the form from its current location instead of downloading and saving it on your PC, the data was not saved. Download the files to your PC, choosing the "save to disk" option.

61. If the answer to my question is not found in the FAQ's or I just need to talk to a Census Bureau representative, what do I do?

Call 1-800-201-4657 or 301-457-4643 or 301-457-4755 or you may write to US Census Bureau 1201 East Tenth St. Jeffersonville, IN 47132-0001

62. What browser version is required for reporting via the Internet?

Versions 4.0 or higher of Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator are required.

U.S. Census Bureau: Helping You Make Informed Decisions

The Economic Census

General

Electronic Reporting

Legal Requirements

Reporting Problem/Non-Data Related

Internet Specific

General

1. Can I combine all my data?

2. Can estimates be used to complete economic forms?

3. Can estimates be used to complete the report form?

4. For industry 31331 - We don't manufacture, we are converters of textiles. Why did I receive this form?

5. How do I request a time extension?

6. How do I request additonal forms?

7. How do I update the name/address on the report?

8. How should I report Inventories?

9. I sold my company (this plant or establishment) during the year. What should I report?

10. My company did not operate during 2001. Am I still required to complete the form?

11. My company maintains records on a fiscal year basis. Can I report for my fiscal year?

12. My company's Employer Identification Number is different from that printed on the MA-1000. What should I do?

13. My electric costs are included in the monthly rent of my facility. How should I report my electric costs on Item 8d?

14. Our company only does a portion of the work on this product. It is sent to another of our domestic plants to be finished. I'm sure they are reporting this information to you, so should I really be reporting this information?

15. The preprinted prior data on my MA-1000 is incorrect. Is it OK to change this information?

16. What are Resales?

17. What are some examples of Parts that should be included in the Cost of Materials?

18. What are some examples of of types of Supplies that should be included in the Cost of Materials?

19. What are some examples of types of materials to be included in the Cost of Materials?

20. What do I do if I don't see any of my establishments products listed in Item 10a?

21. What do I include in Annual Payroll (Item 3a)?

22. What do I include in Capital expenditures (Item 6)?

23. What do I include in Employment(Item 2)?

24. What does Item 3C ? Employer?s Cost for Fringe Benefits? include?

25. What does the Cost of Purchased Electricity include (Item 8d)?

26. What happens to my company's forms after the economic census?

27. What if sales are not kept by location?

28. What is LIFO?

29. What is a CSAQ?

30. What is an Establishment?

31. What is excluded from Cost of Materials?

32. What is included in Cost of Materials?

33. What is included in or excluded from sales?

34. What should I include in Plant Hours Worked by Production workers?

35. What should I report for the Value of Products Shipped and Other Receipts?

36. What should I report in Cost of Fuels Consumed for Heat and Power? (Item 8c)

37. What type of review process did the economic census forms undergo?

38. When I received my inventory list with my Census Forms I noticed that a plant or establishment was not included in the inventory. Should this plant or establishment be included in the Census?

39. When is the next economic census conducted?

40. When will reports be published based on data collected in the 2002 Economic Census?

41. Where can I get information about Census publications?

42. Where should I include the cost of contract work?

43. Why are certain questions included on the 2002 Economic Census forms?

44. Why is my company included in the 2002 Economic Census?

45. Why is there a certification question on the forms?

Electronic Reporting

46. Are any reports generated from the data collected in the Annual Survey of Manufactures?

47. Can I import data into the CSAQ software?

48. Does the electronic software cost anything?

49. What are my electronic reporting options for submitting data to the U.S. Census Bureau?

Legal Requirements

50. Can my company be exempt from filing the census forms?

51. Is my data confidential?

52. Where can I view Title 13, United States Code?

53. Who sees my completed report forms?

Reporting Problem/Non-Data Related

54. Are copies of forms acceptable for filing?

55. Can anyone from the Census Bureau assist my company with reporting data?

56. I have forms for old and new EINs. What should I do?

57. My business does not have an address (as such). What should I report?

58. What should I report if my company EIN has changed?

59. Where is the EIN located on my form?

Internet Specific

60. All the data I entered into the CSAQ is now gone. What happened?

61. If the answer to my question is not found in the FAQ's or I just need to talk to a Census Bureau representative, what do I do?

62. What browser version is required for reporting via the Internet?

Source: U.S. Census BureauLast Revised: 6/15/01 @ 1:20:24 PM EST

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Last Revised: 6/15/01 @ 1:20:24 PM EST